Reversible lower end unit for outboard motors



Nbv. 4, 1952 E. c. KIEKHAEFER 2,615,387

REVERSIBLE L OWER END UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed April 8, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 IN VEN TOR.

(5% .ZYaJe9 er h 3% I fiiolzeyr Nov.-4, 1952 E. c. KIEKHAEFER REVERSIBLE LOWER END UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed April 8, 1 49 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 E INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REVERSIBLE LOWER END UNIT FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Elmer Kiekhaefer, Cedarburg, Wis. Application April 8,1949, Serial No. 86,145

1 Claim. (01. 1151'7) This invention relates to outboardmotors and particularly to the lower propeller unit.

According to the invention the lower unit and its operating connections with the upper partof the motor are arranged so that the lower unit may be assembled with respect to the motor in a reversed position.

An object of the invention is to enable assembly of the lower unit either to carry a propeller rearwardly thereof where the propeller is protected as in conventional motors or to carry forwardly thereof a tractor-type propeller which is more eificient and capable of higher speeds.

Another object of the invention is to provide an outboard motor for normal service which may be readily converted for racing purposes.

Another object is to provide for reversing the lower unit of an outboard motor to receive a tractor propeller without requiring any extra parts or extensive disassembly of the motor.

These and other objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing an outboard motor secured to a utility boat and mounting a pushertype propeller for general service;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the motor secured to a hydroplane for racing and mounting a tractortype propeller;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower end of the motor, as shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away and sectioned;

Fig. 4 is a, view similar to Fig. 3 of the lower end of the same motor, as shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5--5 of Fig. 3.

The outboard motor shown in the drawings includes the engine I, the housing 2 supporting engine I at its upper end, the lower underwater propeller unit 3 carried by housing 2 at its lower end and the drive shaft 4 extending vertically within housing 2 to connect engine I and the propeller unit 3.

The swivel bracket 5 pivotally secured to housing 2 supports the motor for turning of the same on a vertical axis as with the handle 6 for steering of the motor and boat. The clamp bracket I carries bracket 5 and the motor on a transverse pivotal axis for tilting of the motor as when the underwater unit 3 strikes a submerged object. The clamp screws 8 of bracket 1 provide forremovably securing the motor by means of bracket 1 to the transom 9 of the general utility boat I0 shown in Fig. 1.

The lower unit 3 as shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that described and claimed in the copending application of the present inventor filed May 12, 1947, Serial No. 747,443, now Patent No. 2,549,477, granted April 1'7, 1951, and includes the cast gear case housing II secured to the lower end of housing 2, as will be described. Gear case II is of torpedo-like streamlined outer dimensions having a planiform horizontal upper face I2 of symmetrical dimensions as shown in Fig. 5 which fits the underside of housing 2.

The upper and lower bearings I3 and I4, respectively, disposed in the vertical cored opening I5 in case I I carry the lower end of drive shaft 4. The seal I6 closes the upper end of the cored opening I5 receiving drive shaft 4 and is carried within the retaining ring H which is seated above bearing I3 in opening I5. The reduced upper end of ring IT projects above housing II into the circular opening [8 in the lower end of housing 2 to pilot or align housings 2 and II accurately with respect to the axis of shaft 4.

The gear I9 carried by the lower end of shaft 4 within gear case I I engages the gear 20 carried by the propeller shaft 2| extending rearwardly of the motor, as shown in Fig. 3, to carry the propeller 22. The bearings 23 and 24 carried within gear case II are disposed on either side of gear 20 on shaft 2I and rotatably support the shaft. The propeller 22 is mounted on the projecting end of shaft 2I rearwardly of gear case housing II as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The water inlet ports 25 in the underside of gear case II admit water to a water circulating pump, not shown, carried within case I I and operating on shaft 2 I.

The stud 26 securing case II and housing 3 forwardly thereof extends into the recess 21 in the forward edge of gear case II and is drawn tight by the nut 28 disposed within recess 21. The rearward stud 29 securing case I I and housing 4 extends from the base of the housing through the lug 30 formed integrally with the gear case which is drawn up tight by the nut 3I.

The two drilled or cored holes 32 and 33 in gear case II open upwardly thereof and are disposed forwardly and rearwardly of drive shaft 4 to receive the duplicate water supply pipes 34 and 35, respectively, connected to engine I to supply water thereto individually and projecting from the bottom of housing 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the passage 36 connects the water supply means, not shown, and pipe 35 in hole 33 for cooling engine I while pipe 34 in hole 32 is closed by gear case I I.

The bottom skeg 31 formed integrally with gear case II serves to protect propeller 22 which is mounted on shaft 2| rearwardly thereof and secured thereon by the threaded nut 38.

In high speed operation the turbulence of the water passing the gear case I i into the propeller 22 adversely affects the propeller emciency and speed of the boat.

By disposingthe propeller forwardly of gear case H greater emciency and speed is obtained as would be desired where the motor is mounted on the racing boat 39 shown in Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, pipes 34 and 35, and studs 25 and 29 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the axis of drive shaft 4 to allow the lower unit 2 by removing nuts 28 and 3| to be reversed onthe axis of shaft 4 disposing propeller shaft 2| forwardly and resecured to housing 4.

The supply of water-to engine 1 is provided by ,pipe 34 while the pipe135 is closed by gear case I l. The tractor-type propeller ii replacing propeller 22 on shaft 2| is secured thereon by nut 38, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. V

The invention provides an outboard motor which may be easily and quickly converted to either type of service without-requiring additional or replacement elements with the exception of the propeller.

Duplicate water supply pipes are not "required according to the invention. A single water supply pipe, not shown, may be employed by moving the same toeither of the two positions of hole .33 which is connected with the water pump through passage 36.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within'the scope of the accompanying 1 claim.

I claim: In an outboard motor, an engine, an upper drive shafthousing supporting said engine at the spectively, of the center of the opening in the lower face of said drive shaft housing, tie bolts carried by said drive shaft housing and extending downwardly therefrom and equally spaced forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, of the corresponding pipes, atorpedo-like streamlined gear case having a planiform upper face and a rounded lower. face, a propeller shaft carried by .4 said gear case and having a driven gear thereon, a drive shaft rotatably supported within said gear case and having a gear at the lower end to drive said driven gear and propeller shaft, said drive shaft projecting upwardly from the upper end of said gear case through said housing for connection with said engine, said propeller shaft extending substantially at right angles to said drive shaft and from only one end of said gear case to carry a propeller external of the case, bores formed in said gear case to receive said tie bolts for securcment of the gear case to the planiform face of the underside of said housing with the drive shaft projecting upwardly centrally through the opening in said face, a water circulating delivery passage within said gear case having intake ports in the underside of the gear case located generaily in the plane of the major diameter of the body of the torpedo-like case, said passage extending to the upper end of the gear case to register with one of said pipes for supplying coolant to the pipe, and means formed by said gear case closing the other of said pipes, said drive shaft and coolant supply passage being disposed to allow said gear case to be reversed on the axis of said drive shaft and to support said propeller shaft selectively either forwardly or rearwardly of the gear case, and provide a coolant supply from the underside of the gear case in either position to one of said pipes without interference from the movement of water passing the unit, and to close the other pipe in either of said positions.

ELMER C. KIEKHAEFER.

REFERENCES CETED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,424,705 Abell Aug. 1, 1922 1,446,326 Asprooth Feb. 20, 1923 1,579,834 Pierce Apr. 6, 1926 1,762,957 Buehner June 10, 1930 1,9 0,551 Pierce May 23, 1933 2,020,790 Lansing Nov. 12, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 717,792 France Oct. 26, 1931 

